Israel Matzav

EU wants to use its 'officials' as human shields; UPDATED: The Foreign Ministry responds

I'm not even going to ask if they're serious, because unfortunately, they probably are. How's this for outrageous? The European Union wants to use its 'officials' (diplomats?) as human shields to prevent Israel from demolishing illegal Arab buildings in Jerusalem.

The European Union has suggested that EU officials should be present at the site of imminent house demolitions or evictions and intervene if non-violent Palestinians face arrest in east Jerusalem, according to a new confidential report published by British newspaper Independent.

"If current trends are not stopped as a matter of urgency, the prospect of east Jerusalem as the future capital of a Palestinian state becomes increasingly unlikely and unworkable," the document states.

The original story in al-Independent is here.

The document, prepared for internal circulation by the 25 EU Consuls General in the city, says: "Israel has left Palestinian neighbourhoods ever more isolated" and "by legal and practical means, is actively pursuing its [illegal] annexation by systematically undermining the Palestinian presence in the city."

The Consuls-General – who are the ambassador-level representatives to the Palestinian Authority – suggest that in addition to being present when houses are demolished, they should attend court hearings dealing with demolitions or evictions and "ensure EU intervention when Palestinians are arrested or intimidated by Israeli authorities for peaceful cultural, social or political activities in East Jerusalem".

Using markedly stronger language than EU ministers use in public when criticising Israel, the document states: "If current trends are not stopped as a matter of urgency, the prospect of East Jerusalem as the future capital of a Palestinian state becomes increasingly unlikely and unworkable. This, in turn, seriously endangers the chances of a sustainable peace on the basis of two states, with Jerusalem as their future capital."

The document says that the cumulative effect of Israeli policy towards East Jerusalem Palestinians – including settlement building, demolitions and evictions, but also "restrictive zoning and planning, ongoing demolitions and evictions, an inequitable education policy, difficult access to health care, the inadequate provision of resources and investment" continue to "negatively affect" Palestinian life.

It adds: "The wider political consequences of the above measures are of great concern. Over the past few years the changes to the city have run counter to the peace process. Attempts to exclusively emphasise the Jewish identity of the city threaten its religious diversity and radicalise the conflict, with potential regional and global repercussions."

It's funny how no one worried about Jerusalem's 'religious diversity' from 1948-67, when the Jordanian Arabs destroyed all the synagogues in the eastern half of Jerusalem, used the gravestones on the Mount of Olives to pave walkways and for latrines, and denied Jews the right of access to any of our holy sites in the eastern half of Jerusalem in violation of the armistice that ended the 1948 war.

But now that Israel allows access of all religions to their holy sites, and now that Israel is the only country in the Middle East with a growing Christian population, the continent that spawned Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Vichy France, and of course the Nazis and the Crusaders (may their names be obliterated) suddenly worries about Jerusalem's 'religious diversity.' Excuse me while I choke on my contempt.

What could go wrong?

UPDATE TUESDAY 11:21 AM

Israel's Foreign Ministry has responded to this story.

Both Israel and EU officials, however, said Monday that there was nothing new in the EU report. Israeli officials said it was a document sent every year by the consuls in Jerusalem with their recommendations – never heeded by the EU – on what the organization’s policies should be toward Jerusalem.

One Israeli official said that linking the document and its recommendations to anything happening on the ground at this moment was especially misleading, since the report on Israel’s policies in east Jerusalem was issued annually, and very similar language had been used in the document for a number of years.

One Israeli official said AFP had reported on the document a month ago, but it had not been widely picked up. He speculated that it was being “re-leaked” now to get a bounce from the commotion surrounding the Shepherd Hotel demolition.

The official added that the document was routinely ignored in Brussels because it was seen as “wildly one-sided.”

What could go wrong?

Labels: European Union, human shields, Jerusalem is the capital of Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:29 PM